Kavindu (Alejandro Velasco)

Bio

Kavindu (Alejandro Velasco) es cofundador y codirector de las escuelas Yoga Espacio en la Ciudad de México, donde ha desarrollado los programas “Meditación para la Vida” y “Budismo para la Vida”. Fue miembro de una orden budista durante diez años, y vivió en un centro de retiros semimonástico en España durante dos años. Ha impartido cursos y charlas en México, Canadá y España.

Let’s get personal

What is the teaching that is most important to you?

Non identification. The insight that who we are is not a story nor our inner dialog, but a constantly renewing experience of presence.

What helps you practice self-compassion?

Radical acceptance of my feelings, without getting involved in the inferences and beliefs that arise.

What are you most insecure about and what helped?

I used to be hypervigilant of the opinions of others, and eager to find approval.  Noticing the thoughts that fed these habits and letting them go without judgement helped a lot. That, along with the insight that I am not my thoughts, and I am not the “social self” that we are trained to believe we are.

Tell us about the last time you cried and how you soothed yourself.

My wife’s uncle died of Covid a couple of weeks ago. I knew him for over 40 years. I organized an online memorial with the family. I cried when sharing. Soothing happened quite naturally in the loving context we´d all created.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced? How did you overcome it?

Many years ago when realizing that being in the Buddhist Order I was part of wasn’t helping my spiritual growth. I resigned from the Order without blame, resentment or guilt, as best I could. The freedom and creativity that came after has been an incredible gift.

What have you let go of that made your life a little easier?

Seeking approval.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

None.

Given the choice of anyone in the world, who would you want as your dinner guest?

A kind stranger.

What is a funny, embarrassing moment from your life?

Many years ago, just about to teach a yoga class, as I took off my pants in front of  a group of new students, suddenly realizing that I wasn’t wearing my yoga shorts underneath.